Spy or Die: Israel’s Message to a Gaza Heart Patient, Now Dead

A heart patient from Gaza has died after he refused an Israeli offer to spy on Palestinian in order to access treatment.

Twenty-seven-year-old Ahmed was born with a congenital heart defect and had undergone a number of operations.

He regularly made the trip from the Gaza Strip to the occupied West Bank for treatment and underwent 18 operations in Israeli hospitals.

The operation to have his heart valve replaced was postponed a number of times until finally he was asked to meet an intelligence officer at the Erez crossing, the only border passage open for Gazans to enter Israel.

During the meeting, Ahmed was explicitly told that in order to have his operation, he would have to cooperate with the security forces and spy for Israel.

According to Ahmed’s father, Hassan Shubeir, the Israeli intelligence officer told Ahmed that he wanted him to help by giving Israel the names of specific locations in Gaza. He said he would send him to an Israeli hospital in exchange for the information.

Ahmed refused.

The Israeli officer told him that if he doesn’t provide the information he would not be allowed to cross the border.

Ahmed chose to stay in Gaza even if it meant signing his own death warrant.

Back in Gaza, Ahmed’s health deteriorated and he passed away last month.

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